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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Ingle

DATE TYPED 02/12/05 HB

SHORT TITLE Underserved Area Independent Living Services

SB 493

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$1,000.0

Recurring General fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

REVENUE

Estimated Revenue

FY05

FY06

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

$900.0

Recurring

Federal

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to HB 11

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Department of Health

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 493 appropriates $1 million from the general fund to the Division of Vocational Re-

habilitation for the purpose of expanding independent living centers and improving outreach and

other services in underserved counties and counties not currently receiving independent living

services.

Significant Issues

The Department of Health reports independent living is a non-medical model of services that en-

Senate Bill 493 -- Page 2

ables people with disabilities to achieve the highest level of self-sufficiency and control over

their own lives. Centers for Independent Living in New Mexico have a potential client base of

approximately 300,000 adults. 25% of adults surveyed in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveil-

lance System Surveys of 1998-2000 identified themselves as having disabilities (Department of

Health Office of Disability and Health “Disability in New Mexico Report, 2001”).

The DVR annual report notes independent living services are provided by centers for independ-

ent living in Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Farmington and Roswell and offices in Alamogordo, Las Ve-

gas, Gallup and Socorro. The organization successfully advocated for new funds to expand ser-

vices in Lincoln and Otero counties and to improve services in rural areas generally. Ninety-five

percent of the state’s population lives in the service area of the Centers for Independent Living.

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation reports.

Independent living services are crucial to individuals with disabilities. Some of the

array of services offered are:

Support to improve independence and self-advocacy,

Coordination of services in a logical, effective plan

Improvements to living conditions/situations

Social adjustment to disabling conditions

Support in accessing disability related services

Support in accessing medical services

Support in accessing social program services

Support in accessing educational, training, and vocational services

Support in accessing services for basic living needs

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $1 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund .

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Contract performance requirements should be required to help access the success of the expan-

sion.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Consideration should be given to a concise definition “underserved counties and counties not

currently receiving independent living services.” Using this definition any county may be eligi-

ble and this may not be the intent of the bill.

ANA/rs